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How to get a promotion

Are you considering a job search? Is your desire to leave your employer because you want a promotion and none is in the offering? Did you ask? Don’t leave your career to chance.

Promoting you is not a top priority for management. They like the status quo and if you are doing a good job, they want you to continue to do that job. OK, so during your review they discussed your future. But were there action items on either side? Are things happening at your intended pace? Continue reading…

Get the most from meeting face time.

How many times have you found yourself doodling or wool gathering during an important meeting? Bet it is because the topic doesn’t include you or you wonder how things got so off course. The decision to gather busy people into a meeting is prompted by a perceived need that only face to face interaction will accomplish whatever is the need. Here’s how to make the best use of that time. Continue reading…

How long before the ‘win’ euphoria is replaced with stark reality? Nothing has changed.

Nick Corcodilos, a headhunter and job search maven I respect, tells readers using a new job offer to generate a counter offer puts the employer between a rock and a hard place. He goes on to list several reasons counter offers may result in career setbacks and starts from the beginning. The employer knows this is not a good time to lose you. Maybe in a month or two when they can prepare for the loss. Read the article for his guidance.

For years, I advised clients to refrain from accepting, even considering, a counter offer. These ransom demands may result in more money, but since that is rarely the reason you wanted to leave, it is not the solution. It is rather like offering a starving man a glass of water. The point Nick makes, which I have never considered, is that when they offer you more money, the funds typically come from the same budget where raises live. When it is time for a raise, often employees who accept counter offers come up with nothing. Net/net? No gain in compensation. Continue reading…

If you want to hire and keep the most talented 20 somethings, know who they are.

You can have the most remarkable product and the most clearly defined target market, but if you don’t have employees truly engaged in your corporate mission, you have a path to mediocrity and probably, failure. I have seen my clients struggle with HR issues when product and customer acquisition should be their top priorities.

A recent client had grand strategies for building a business that just couldn’t miss. Instead of working with alliance partners and product groups, he spent most of his time trying to resolve issues with his 20 something or Millennial Generation, team. He didn’t understand why management techniques that always worked before created more problems. He was baffled when employees had no regard for commonly accepted protocol (One individual contributor felt it was his right to update the Board of his demands, others openly criticized management and rejected the review process). Since then, I discovered the manager was at the front line of a battle he could not win with traditional means, a battle being fought by many hiring authorities and managers. Continue reading…

Don’t leave your career to chance.

1. ASK: Promoting you is not a top priority for your manager. They like the status quo and if you are doing a good job, they want you to continue to do that job. OK, so during your review they discussed your future. But were there action items on either side? Are things happening at your intended pace? Want to make it happen on your schedule? Continue reading…

An interesting site for management tips. Start with Engage teams to identify issues...Then search for articles on other topics. I like Joan's hard hitting advice; she minces no words and her advice resonates with my own thoughts.

CTO is the hardest job to describe. Sometimes the line between VP Product Development and CTO is hard to find. Lance Glasser offers one very solid discussion

A reading list for every technology executive from Lance Glasser can be found here: http://www.lanceglasser.com/Business/recommeded%20reading.html